Chicago Bears: Standout players from Week 17 vs. Vikings
Eddy Pineiro, Kicker
The Chicago Bears’ 2018 season ended on a field goal. Their 2019 ended on a field goal as well. Last season’s attempt resulted in a loss and the end of a magical season. This season’s attempt resulted in a win that salvaged a .500 season.
The missed field goal in the 2019 playoffs resulted in the Bears looking far and wide for a replacement. After trying out a small village full of kickers the team decided on keeping Eddy Pineiro. Well, that decision had its ups and downs.
After Week 2 the team and its fans thought they had their kicker for the long haul when Pineiro hit a 52-yard attempt and a 53-yard attempt that won the ballgame against the Vic Fangio-led Denver Broncos. All was well with the world.
Then he missed two field-goal attempts against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 8, including one that would have won the game at the end. He also missed two in Week 11 against the Los Angeles Rams that could have changed the outcome of that loss. Four missed field goal attempts in two games and everyone was worried about the kicker once again.
To his credit, Pineiro kept at it and put it together. After those misses in the Rams game, he went on to make 11 attempts in a row, including four in the final game to help the Bears win. He finished the season making 23 of his 28 field goal attempts for a very good percentage of 82.1 percent.
The favorite choice for fans in the offseason, former Bears kicker Robbie Gould, finished the season converting 23 of his 31 attempts for 74.2 percent. In the end, it seems the Bears made the right decision to keep Pineiro.
Despite that, the Bears should bring someone in to give Pineiro some competition. Yes, he did well as the season progressed but he was shaky.
He missed four of his seven attempts from 40-49 yards. That is where a kicker makes his money. He did make both of his attempts from beyond 50 as I mentioned they were made in the high altitude where balls go farther. He didn’t attempt any kicks beyond 50 yards anywhere else.
I don’t expect the Bears to have another Survivor kind of battle for kicker like they had this year but they should bring someone in to keep Pineiro sharp. If he can handle the competition then great. He should handle it well, considering the battle in the offseason and the up and down experience during the season.
It’s better we find out if this season was a fluke or if the Chicago Bears have their kicker for the foreseeable future.